Lynn Griffiths, the founder of the Carbon Monoxide Awareness charity will launch the charity’s 8th National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week at the House of Lords today (Monday 18th November 2013).
The mother-of-four set up the charity over eight years ago, after she and her family suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning for over a decade.
“It is shocking that despite living in the ‘information age’ people still don’t realise that carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless highly toxic gas that can kill in under three minutes !!
Carbon monoxide is produced by the incomplete combustion of any hydrocarbon fuel e.g. coal, charcoal, wood, oil, petrol, diesel, natural gas and liquid petroleum gas (LPG).
“Poisoning can have a devastating effect and the more people are aware of the signs and symptoms, especially at the initial stages, the more chance we have of preventing avoidable deaths or injuries.” Those poisoned by just low levels of carbon monoxide can go on to develop long term chronic health problems.
People can help protect themselves by making sure they and their families have all their fuel burning appliances serviced every year. Their chimney swept once or twice a year and by installing a carbon monoxide alarm in the “correct place” in their home, caravan or boat.
Due to a lack of donations this year, the charity finds it is unable to take its message to many parts of the UK, as it has done for the last seven years.
Therefore Lynn is pleading to Ministers, MP’s, councillors, housing associations and the media to all pledge their support to the charity’s 8th National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week this year to help the charity reach the people it can’t. “Please don’t let someone you love/know or someone working/living in “YOUR” community fall victim to this silent killer” Lynn said.
It is absolutely vital that people start to understand the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and, most importantly, how we can all protect our homes and families from this silent invisible silent killer.